Kobe and LeBron's Last Matchup Told Us Everything About Their Differences

"It's not a rivalry," Kobe Bryant told ESPN. "To me, rivalries aren't made in the regular season." This was the 22nd and last meeting between the Laker legend and LeBron James, two first-ballot hall-of-famers. None of those match-ups have come in the playoffs. It's also true that their career arcs did not line up the way that those of most rivals do; as Kobe began to fade in 2012, the King was ascending to the throne. But last night there was a sense that they were both playing for a place in the history books. Kobe in particular was trying to add some gloss to his position in their last match-up.

The Mamba took on James at every opportunity, sizing him up on the block and the high post and deploying his best weapon: the old man can move. After nearly two decades of meticulous practice, Bryant has some of the best footwork the game has ever seen. You can see when he shake-and-bakes out of the post and fades away for an 18-footer that he has shot that shot thousands of times. It was still working last night:

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LeBron, for his part, put on a show of ferocious athleticism. As a younger man, Kobe was an incredible jumper and could throw it down with the best of them. But he could never really bully people with his size and strength, something the King combines with stuff like this:

And this:

In the end, their box scores showed off the essential difference in their styles. Kobe put up shots relentlessly, trying to will his team to the finish line by attacking on every possession. He finished with 26 points, two more than LeBron, but not much else. The King, on the other hand, added seven assists and two blocks. He has always prioritized getting his teammates involved, letting the ball do the work rather than trying to grind down his opponent possession after possession. It was a winning strategy—the Cavs left the Staples Center with a 120-108 victory. But from the way he approached this one, Kobe seemed to be playing for something bigger than just a W.

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